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Friday, October 17, 2014

Johnson Ready For Talladega Test

Despite
effectively needing a win Sunday to advance to the Eliminator Round, Johnson
spoke optimistically of his chances.

“I’m
excited to go racing,” he said. “Our plate program has been pretty strong and
our car has been fast. We won a few plate races last year and we certainly need
to do that this (weekend) to keep my championship hopes alive. When I reflect
back on the Chase so far, we’ve certainly not had the speed that we wanted in
our cars. But… we’ve kept ourselves in the mix when we had two bad races. Two
bad races would have eliminated me from any opportunity of winning a
championship in each previous format, so I feel like I have a third opportunity
this weekend.

“Granted,
it’s a tough one and a lofty goal,” he said. “There are many other guys out
there with the same goal, not only from a Chase situation but also trying to
win a race this year. I’ve got a lot of work ahead for myself and this team
this weekend, so we’re ready for the challenge. We’ll get out there to work and
see what happens.”

In
terms of strategy for Sunday’s race, Johnson said he will be forced to play it
by ear.

“I’ve
put a lot of time and thought into my approach for this weekend (and) there
really isn’t a clear vision for how to make it work,” he admitted. “Racing for
it can get you in trouble. If you ride, at some point, you have to go to the
front.

With
this rules package, it’s much more difficult to get track position. It seems
like with maybe three pit stops to go, you need to have control of the race and
maintain it; least be in first or second (in) line and give yourself a chance
to win. I don’t know… I really don’t. Maybe being cautious early will buy us
some time and keep us on the road. (but) from the halfway point of the race on,
you have to fight for track position if you want to win.

Johnson and Knaus: peaks and valleys

“I
can promise you that with four guys needing to win to transfer, at the end of
the race there will definitely be some racing,” he said. “It may be the four of
us on the bottom trying… to get to the front. But there are at least four that
have a really good reason to take chances, be aggressive and try to win. I’d
guess it will be an exciting race but again we just don’t know until we get out
there.”

Asked
about the current relationship between himself and crew chief Chad Knaus, Johnson
said, “Frustration is high, for sure. Chad and I have had peaks and valleys in
our relationship. We’ve had times where there has been plenty of frustration on
the radio, but who we are, what we are as a team and the way our relationship
works… things are still as they have always been.

“It
isn’t fun, and… last weekend there was plenty of color on our channel. It just
comes with the territory. We’re not happy with where we’re at, and I don’t know
why we would be. It’s unfortunate that sometimes those things are aired on the
radio and innocent bystanders hear them – children and others – but that’s just
part of it.”

Johnson
understands there is a chance he will fail to advance into next week’s Eliminator
Round, and said the events of Sunday afternoon will determine how he approaches
the remainder of the 2014 campaign.

“Depending
on how this weekend goes, we’ll know what the rest of the year looks like for
us,” he said. “If we don’t win, it will be in our best interest to look at 2015
and what we need to do on all fronts, including the rules package. Our vision
will shift at that point and try to get a head start on the field and start
where we need to be.

“At
the end of a race... I have to win. My quest to win a seventh championship is
the thing I’m most concerned about. I know my teammates are going to think the
same way and have the same approach. We’re out there to win for our teams and
ourselves to move on and have a shot at the championship.”